wondering, perplexed, almost troubled. If she had not
been her own sister Marcia would have added, "hard," but she stopped short
at that.

It was a lovely evening. The twilight was not yet over as she stepped from
the low piazza that ran the length of the house bearing another above it
on great white pillars. A drapery of wistaria in full bloom festooned
across one end and half over the front. Marcia stepped back across the
stone flagging and driveway to look up the purple clusters of graceful
fairy-like shape that embowered the house, and thought how beautiful it
would look when the wedding guests should arrive the day after the morrow.
Then she turned into the little gravel path, box-bordered, that led to the
gate. Here and there on either side luxuriant blooms of dahlias, peonies
and roses leaned over into the night and peered at her. The yard had never
looked so pretty. The flowers truly had done their best for the occasion,
and they seemed to be asking some word of commendation from her.

They nodded their dewy heads sleepily as she went on.

To-morrow the children would be coming back from Aunt Eliza's, where they
had been sent safely out of the way for a few days, and the last things
would arrive,--and _he_ would come. Not later than three in the afternoon
he ought to arrive, Kate had said, though there was a possibility that he
might come in the morning, but Kate was not counting upon it. He was to
drive from his home to Schenectady and, leaving his own horse there to
rest, come on by coach. Then he and Kate would go back in fine style to
Schenectady in a coach and pair, with a colored coachman, and at
Schenectady take their own horse and drive on to their home, a long
beautiful ride, so thought Marcia half enviously. How beautiful it would
be! What endless delightful talks they might have about the trees and
birds and things they saw in passing only Kate did not love to talk about
such things. But then she would be with David, and he talked beautifully
about nature or anything else. Kate would learn to love it if she loved
him. Did Kate love David? Of course she must or why should she marry him?
Marcia resented the thought that Kate might have other objects in view,
such as Mary Ann Fothergill had suggested for instance. Of course Kate
would never marry any man unless she loved him. That would be a dreadful
thing to do. Love was the greatest thing in the world. Marcia looked up to
the stars, her young soul th